He also credited the Williams Lake RCMP, the City of Williams Lake, Lakers Car Club, Progressive Printers, PMT Chartered Accountants, Panago Pizza, Red Tomato Pies, Taylor Made Cakes, Community Policing, Mike Austin Financial, Rotary Club of Williams Lake, the Goat FM and the Williams Lake Tribune for their support.

“I also want to thank Jack Burgar who volunteered every night and miscellaneous volunteers who came out for a night like Mayor Walt Cobb, Hal Giles and the TRU nursing students,” Dickson said.

Each year the proceeds from the program, generated by donations given by the people who are given rides, go to four groups.

This year’s recipients are Cariboo Chilcotin Gymnastics, Cariboo Chilcotin Youth Fiddlers, Blue Fins Swim Club and Camp Likely who received $3,000 each during the Rotary Club of Williams Lake regular luncheon Wednesday.

On behalf of Camp Likely, Elmer Thiessen said the money will go a long way.

The camp’s season was hampered in 2017 by the wildfires, resulting in the camp not being able to run at all, Thiessen said.

After the cheques were presented, Rotary past president Joanna Sanders acknowledged Dickson for his 15 years of service and dedication to running Operation Red Nose.

Now that the season has finished, Dickson said he starts planning for next year already.

Nationally, the Operation Red Nose campaign involved 51,261 volunteers in 100 Canadian communities, who provided a total of 71,430 safe rides.

This story was updated from the original after the cheques were presented to the groups on Jan. 17.